UK universities ranked nationally

Lancaster University is the number one university in the North West, according to The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024. Nationally, it is in the top 20 universities. 

Next is the University of Manchester. University of Liverpool at number three has been shortlisted for the University of the Year, and is ranked 29th nationally. 

Others in the shortlist include the University of York, London School of Economics and Political Science and University of Buckingham. 

In the guide, key findings were that what you study and where you study matter more than ever when it comes to future earnings. 

 New to the online guide is a searchable database of graduate salaries per university and per subject. The top degree is computer studies at Imperial College where the average salary within 15 months of graduating is £64,000, and in second place, business, management and marketing from Oxford where graduates can expect to take home £58,000.  

Students who finish drama, dance and cinematics at the University of Central Lancashire will be earning an average salary of £18,000 within 18 months of leaving university.   

The guide seeks to provide prospective students and their families with the helpful information to make an informed choice about their higher education, evaluating everything from satisfaction with teaching quality and the student experience through to degree completion rates and graduate employment prospects. Find out more here. 

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 publishes rankings for UK universities with a comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain. It includes profiles on 134 universities, making use of the latest data. It was first published in 1998.